疾病監測的主要目的是在人口群中發現流行疾病的存在,並透過疾病與人、時、地之間的關係,了解病原感染的範圍、傳播的模式等相關資料,以做為疾病防治的基礎,要有效偵測疾病的流行,必須先建立完善的監測系統。在台灣,行政院衛生署疾病管制局是全國傳染病防治業務的主管機關,自1999年成立以來,即積極建構完整的全國性疾病監測系統,目前運作的監測系統,包括法定傳染病通報系統、定點醫師監視通報系統、學校監視系統、症狀監視通報系統、即時疫情監測及預警系統、人口密集機構傳染病監視通報系統及預防接種資訊系統等。這些監測系統經由網路的聯繫,使地方防疫單位能在最短時間內,取得疫情相關資訊,進而迅速採取防疫措施。本文針對我國目前主要的疾病監測資訊系統簡略說明,使大家對我國疾病監測系統有更進一步之了解。
The major objectives of disease surveillance are to find out the existence of epidemic diseases among a certain population, and to figure out relevant information such as the range of the infection of involved pathogens, the pattern of their transmitting and broadcasting, etc. through the relationship between the diseases vs. people, timing, and locality, which is going to be used as the foundation of disease prevention and control. If we want the prevalence of diseases to be effectively detected, a perfect surveillance system must be established first. Here in Taiwan, Centers for Disease Control under Department of Health, the Executive Yuan, or abbreviated as Taiwan CDC is the nation's competent authority in charge of infectious disease control affairs. Since its inauguration in 1999, Taiwan CDC has put its all efforts to build up and integrate various nationwide disease surveillance systems. At present, the ones in operation include Notifiable Disease Surveillance System, Sentinel Physician Surveillance System, School-based surveillance system, Symptom Surveillance & Reporting System, Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance System, Infectious Disease Surveillance System for Institutions with Dense Population, and Preventive Inoculation Information System. All these surveillance systems are accessible and linked to one another through internet, so that local disease control units can pick up the newest relevant outbreak information in the shortest period of time, and respond with quick and effective steps of control measures. This article aims to give a brief description of each of Taiwan's current major disease surveillance information systems, so that any people interested can have a much better understanding on them.